Historian Peter Corley-Smith chronicles the provincial museum's accomplishments since 1886, when 30 prominent citizens petitioned the government to establish a provincial museum. From its modest roots, the museum has grown to become one of the most renowned in North America. But this is a story about the people with the vision to preserve examples of this province's history for generations to come. It's also the story of the people with the imagination and creativity to tell BC's story in a fashion that remains imprinted on the minds and in the hearts of so many visitors. The title comes from the story of the white Kermode Bear, a discovery brought to public attention in the 1920s by the provincial museum's longest serving director, Francis Kermode. Was this a new species or just a white variation of the Black Bear?

White Bears and Other Curiosities: The First 100 Years of the Royal British Columbia Museum (Royal British Columbia Museum Special Publication)

Corley-Smith, Peter

Arts & Photography

The Royal British Columbia Museum

This small, comprehensive guide offers practical advice on how to collect, dry and store plant specimens for botanical study. Intended for plant collectors who do not have access to herbarium equipment, this book describes how to use common household items to dry, press and store plants.

Plant Collecting for the Amateur

Science & Math

Brayshaw, T. Christopher

Biological Sciences

First published in 1965, The Indian History of British Columbia: The Impact of the White Man remains an important book thanks to Wilson Duff's rigorous scholarship. It is an excellent overview of the history of the interaction between the First Nations of British Columbia and the colonial cultures that came to western North America. In its 30 years in print, this book has sold more than 15,000 copies and continues to reside on the reading lists of many university and college anthropology courses. Wilson Duff wrote this book as the first in a series. The second was to be the first book in a line of "ethnic histories" on specific First Nations; the third was to cover a thousand or so years before contact with Euro-Americans. Regrettably, he never finished the other manuscripts. But The Impact of the White Man stands alone and is, indeed, a mainstay of anthropology and history in British Columbia. For the first time, this book is issued in a quality paperback size and a more readable type. The original text is virtually unchanged, but the publishers have added more photographs, an appendix updating the names and territories of British Columbia First Nations, a new list of recommended reading, and an index.

The Indian History of British Columbia: The Impact of the White Man

History

Duff, Wilson

Americas

Out of the Mist celebrates the art, culture and history of the Nuu-chah-nulth (formerly called Nootka) nations. It features the material culture—including many major art pieces—of the richly complex societies along the west coast of Vancouver Island and the Olympic Peninsula. With the help of many Nuu-chah-nulth voices, Martha Black places the objects in context with the cultures and histories of the people who created them. HuupuKwanum and Tupaat are Nuu-chah-nulth words that designate everything a chief owns, including hereditary names and songs, objects, dances, rights and privileges, lands, and resources. These concepts introduce non-aboriginal people to the profound philosophical, spiritual and personal connections that these objects have always had within Nuu-chah-nulth communities. Winner of the British Columbia Millennium 2000 Book Award.

Out of the Mist: Treasures of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Chiefs (Native Studies/Art)

Martha Black

History & Criticism

Monocotyledons are a major subgroup of flowering plants that have embryos with only one seed leaf (cotyledon); they are characterized by parallel-veined leaves and flower parts in threes. Dr T.C. Brayshaw describes all of the aquatic monocotyledons in British Columbia, which comprise four orders and fourteen families of plants in freshwater and marine environments. Some of these are water weeds, intertidal marine grasses (such as Eel-grass), Water Plantain, Skunk Cabbage, duck-weeds, water-meals and Cattail. This edition contains Dr Brayshaw's finely detailed illustrations of these plants.

Pondweeds, Bur-reeds and Their Relatives of British Columbia: Aquatic Families of Monocotyledons - Revised Edition

The genus Lasiopogon is a widespread group of robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae) inhabiting the north temperate parts of the Earth. This study is the first to examine the genus as a complete entity and clearly define intrageneric relationships. It is also the first to pay special attention to the male and female genitalia, important structures in the taxonomy of the genus. There are 118 known species of Lasiopogon, about half of these yet to be described. Dr. Cannings gives a cladistic overview of some defined species groups, and provides a detailed taxonomic and phylogenetic analysis of the 7 species groups and 29 species in the opaculus section, comprising about 25 per cent of the genus. He describes 14 new species in this section and redescribes the others. Dr. Cannings also offers a biogeographic hypothesis of the history of Lasiopogon, suggesting that the genus may have originated in Laurasia as early as the late Jurassic period.

Systematics of Lasiopogon (Royal British Columbia Museum Handbook)

Cannings, Rob

Birding and butterfly watching have been popular outdoor activities for decades. Now, dragonfly watching is catching on as a fascinating and enjoyable pursuit. Dragonflies are large, colourful insects with amazing and easily observed behaviour. Noted entomologist Dr. Robert Cannings introduces students, naturalists and outdoor enthusiasts to the world of dragonflies. In this compact book, he shows readers where to find dragonflies and how to watch and study them in the field. In the introduction, Dr. Cannings outlines the natural history of these insects—their structure, life cycles, habitats and behaviour. Then he describes the 88 species known in British Columbia and the Yukon, noting habitat preferences and distribution. To make identification easy, each description has one or more colour photographs and comparisons with similar species.

Introducing the Dragonflies of British Columbia and the Yukon

Has your silver lost its lustre? Have your photos faded? Has the family quilt come undone? Fear not. In this entertaining and easy-to-read book, Colleen Wilson will help you keep your most precious household possessions in pristine condition. “This is a delightful read, entertaining, witty … a delicious addition to any collectibles library.” – Dan Hoffman, Muse

Tales from the Attic: Practical Advice on Preserving Heirlooms and Collectibles

Wilson, Colleen

Historical Study & Educational Resources

The men who worked British Columbia's mines have passed into history. Coal Dust In My Blood is a moving account of one coal miner's life, in plain, evocative language. But this book is much more than a personal memoir. Bill Johnstone's mining career spanned several decades and he worked in a wide variety of positions. His broad insights reveal important aspects of the history of coal mining in BC.

Coal Dust in My Blood: The Autobiography of a Coal Miner

Biographies & Memoirs

Johnstone, Bill

Community & Culture

Peter Macnair and Alan Hoover recount the history of Haida argillite carving since it began in the early 1800s, and they describe more than 200 examples from the extensive collection of the Royal BC Museum. Argillite is a dense, black shale mined from a quarry on Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands), reserved for the exclusive use of Haida carvers. Argillite works are unique in style and character, ranging from ceremonial pipes and model poles to elaborate platters and chests. "The careful scholarship of Peter Macnair and Alan Hoover has ensured that The Magic Leaves remains an authoritative text on the types, subjects and history of argillite carving. Argillite carvings made for the souvenir, ethnographic and fine-art markets maintained and developed Indigenous stylistic and narrative traditions. The beautiful black slate of Haida Gwaii continues to be a vehicle for profound expressions of Haida history and artistic innovation." – Dr. Martha Black, from the Foreword.

The Magic Leaves: A History of Haida Argillite Carving

Hoover, Alan L.

MacNair, Peter

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Books by The Royal British Columbia Museum